Attachment for screen doors



M. F. FISCHER' ATTACHMENT FOR SCREEN DooRs Filed March 30, 1923 itl lll

Ill

gnou/Moz Othemw Patented Dec. 25, i923.,

UNITE@ STATES hadde@ FATEN'F FFIQ.

MAX F. FISCHER, OF ARVADA, COLORADO.

'ATTACHMENT FOR SCREEN DOORS.

Application led March 30, 1923.

Screen Doors; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, and -to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

This invention relates to an attachment adapted to be 'applied to ascreen door for the purpose of preventing the entrance of flies when thedoor is being opened and closed.

Flies are recognized to be disagreeable pests as well as carriers ofdisease, and many different expedients have been resorted to for thepurpose of excluding flies from dwelling houses, kitchens anddining-rooms. The method relied upon at present and which has proven themost satisfactory is to equip all windows with screens and to employscreen doors. In buildings where the windows are properly screened, theonly place where the flies may enter is through the doors.

It is well known that where screen doors are used, the flies will gatheraround the top of the door, as this is where the warm air and the odorsfrom the building leave. When the doors are opened to permit people toleave or enter, the flies will be disturbed and some of them will enterthe building.

It is the object of this invention to provide means that can be readilyattached to a screen or other type of door and which will serve toprevent flies from entering while the door is open.

My attachment is so designed and constructed that it can be cheaply madeand easily an-d quickly installed by any person having the leastexperience in handling tools.

In order to better describe my invention, I shall have reference to' theaccompanying drawing, in which the preferred embodiment thereof isshown, and in which:

Serial No. 628,797.

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a door and door trame equipped withmy improved device.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the supporting bar.

Fig. 4 is aV section taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of myattachment; and

Fig. G is a section taken on line 6-6,

Fig. 4.

The same reference characters will be employed to designate the sameparts throughout the several views.

In the drawings I have shown a door frame having parallel vertical sidemembers l, a horizontal vtop member 2 and a sill 3 to which a screendoor 4 is hinged. Mounted parallel with the top member 2 ,and rotata-blysecured to the side members l near f the top of the door frame is aspring roller 5, such as is commonly employed in connection with rollershades, the catches of which have been removed or made inoperative. Theend pivot 6 is round, while the pivot pin 7 is flattened and engageswith a bracket member such as is employed in the corresponding positionin mounting a roller shade between the sides of a window frame. Theroller andl supporting brackets are not illustrated in detail, as theyembody nothing new. A `cord 8 is wound about the roller in such adirection that when they cord is unwound by pulling the same, it willwind the spring on the roller. The spring in the roller is wound to asuitable tension and the end of the cord connected to the door at apoint 9,7which is preferably on the level with the bottom of the roller.It is now evident that when the door is moved to open yiis roller andthe frame member 2, I support a rod 10 by means of hooks 11 from themember 2 and fasten to this rod a paper or cloth 12 which is provided atits ytop with a tubular pocket through which the rod l() may pass. Thepaper 12 may have its lower edge cut into strips, as indicated bynumeral 13. Directly below the roller 5 I mount a flexible strip 14-whioh is secured at one end to a bracket 15, which, in its turn, isfastened to the vertical member 1 of the door frame. The relationshipofthe bracket 15, rod 14 and door frame is such that. the rod will beheld parallel to the roller a short distance below it. Since the rod 14is supported at one end only and is flexible, it is evident that it canbe made to vibrate ina horizontal plane. Secured to the roller, at apoint substantially midway between its ends, are two projecting portionsor pins which I have indicated by the numeral 16. The pins 16 may beformed by any suitable material, such as wood or steel screwspreferablycovered with a rubber tube. I have shown a specific embodiment whichconsist/s of two substantially identical semi-circular members 17 whoseends 18 are bent outwardly in a radial direction and riveted orotherwise secured together. Over 'the ends 18 I place a short piece ofrubber tubing 19 (Fig. 6). The bar or strap 14 is placed so close to theroller 5-that when this rotates, thepins 16 will strike it and cause itto vibrate transversely. I have shown two pins, but it is obvious that agreater or less number may be used. e

Secured to the strap or bar 14 is a piece of cloth or paper 20 whoseupper edge is doubled' over so as to provide an opening through whichthe bar 14. may pass and after the bar has been inserted within thisopening, it may be held in place'by means of glue.V The lower edge ofpaper 20 may be cut intoa number of narrow strips 21 and may be curvedas shown in Figs. l and 5 so that they extend lower near the side of theframe where the door opens. By moving the pins 16 longitudinally on theroller, the extent ofthe vibrations of the rod 15 may be varied` as itis evident that thenearer to the pivot point tle pins 16 strike the barthe greater will be its movement.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the parts are assembledin the manner described, the roller 5 will be rotated in one directionwhen the door is opened and in the other direction when the door closes.As the roller 5 rotates, the pins 16 will strike the bar la causing itto vibrate. This vibration will cause the paper 20 and fringes or strips21 to shake in such a manner that flies will not attempt to pass. j

When the paper 12 or 2O wears out or becomes torn, it may bereadilyreplaced by another similar piece.

I want to call particular attention to the vibratory action of mydevice, as this results in a neater and more effective device than wouldbe the case if the papers were rotated by any means.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. In combination, .a door frame; a door pivotally attached to one sidethereof and adapted to be Yopened and closed; a spring roller mountedbetween the two vertical side members ofthe door frame; a flexible mem-Vber wound about said roller and having one end secured to the roller andthe other to the door, the relation between the spring roller and thelflexible member being such that when the door. is opened, the rollerwill be rotated in a direction Vtending to windthe spring; a flexiblemember secured to one side of the door frame and located directlybeneath the roller, said flexible member being free to vibrate in ahorizontal plane; and projecting portions on the roller adapted toengage the flexible member when the roller rotates and to cause the sameto vibrate. j

2. In combination, a door frame; a door pivotally attached to one sidethereof and adapted to be openedy and closed; a spring roller mountedbetween the two vertical side members of the door frame; a flexiblemember wound about said roller and having one end secured to the rollerand the other to the door, the relation between the spring roller andthe flexible member being such that when the door is opened the rollerwill be rotated in a direction: tending to'wind the spring; a flexiblemember secured to one side of the door frame and located directlybeneath the roller, said flexible member be ing free to vibrate in ahorizontal plane; projecting portions on the roller adapted to engagethe flexible member when the roller rotates and to cause the saine tovibrate; and a sheet of thin flexible material secured to said flexiblemember.

3. In combination, a door frame; a door pivotally attached to one sidethereof and' Vadapted to be opened and closed; afspr'ing roller mountedbetween the two vertical side members of the door frame; a flexiblemembei1 wound about said roller and having one end secured to the rollerand the other to plane; projecting portions on the roller adapted toengage the flexible member when the roller rotates and to causethesainel to vibrate; and' a sheet of thin flexible mateinvestie rialsecured to said flexible member, the lower edge of said exible materialbeing cut into a plurality of strips.

4. In combination, a door frame; a door pivotally attached to one sidethereof and adapted to be opened and closed; a spring roller mountedbetween the two vertical side members of the door frame; a flexiblemember wound about said roller and having one end secured to the rollerand the other to the door, the relation between the spring roller andthe flexible member being such that when the door is opened the rollerwill be rotated in a direction tending to wind the spring; a flexiblemember secured to one Side of the door frame and located directlybeneath the roller, said flexible member be ing free to vibrate in ahorizontal plane; projecting portions on the roller adapted to engagethe flexible member when the roller rotates and to cause the same tovibrate; a sheet of thin flexible material secured to said flexiblemember, the lower edge of said flexible material being cut into a pluVrality of Strips; and a piece of flexible material between the top ofthe door frame and the roller.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signa ture.

MAX F. FISCHER.

